Outer sleeve of a connection element without a female thread and having a damping function, connection element comprising an outer sleeve, and corresponding connection and manufacturing method

Abstract

A connection element without a female thread, having a damping function, and by which two components can be connected. The connection element has an outer sleeve, a spacer sleeve, and a screw having a first outer diameter and a tolerance compensation disc positioned on the screw. The outer sleeve has an outer body having a shaft with a fastening flange at a first end and, adjacent to a second end, a folding zone which can form a compression bead. The outer sleeve has a first inner diameter and a second inner diameter smaller than the first. A first component can be supported between the fastening flange and the compression bead. The second component can be fastened, adjacent to the second end of the outer sleeve, by the sleeve. The screw and the tolerance compensation disc are positioned in the outer sleeve with radial play.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A connection element without a female thread with a damping function with which at least a first component and a second component are connectable by means of a screw connection, comprising the following features:
 a. an outer sleeve having:
 an elastic outer body with a sleeve-like shaft having a fastening flange at a first axial end and, adjacent to a second axial end, a hollow-cylindrical folding zone which is foldable to form a compression bead so that the first component can be supported between the fastening flange and the compression bead, 
 a first inner diameter in a portion of the fastening flange and a second inner diameter in a portion of the hollow-cylindrical folding zone, wherein the first inner diameter is larger than the second inner diameter and the second component is attachable adjacent to the second axial end, 
 a first as well as a third fastening feature in the portion of the hollow-cylindrical folding zone adjacent to the second axial end at a radial inside, 
 
 b. a spacer sleeve with a third inner diameter that is arranged completely in the outer sleeve adjacent to the second axial end, wherein the spacer sleeve has a second and a fourth fastening feature interacting with the corresponding first and third fastening features of the outer sleeve and the second and fourth fastening feature of the spacer sleeve are beads or grooves and the first and third fastening feature of the outer sleeve are corresponding complementary forms, 
 c. a screw with a first outer diameter, wherein the first outer diameter is smaller than the third inner diameter of the spacer sleeve, so that the screw is arranged in the outer sleeve with a radial play in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the outer sleeve and that the second component is fixable by means of the screw adjacent to the second axial end of the outer sleeve of the connection element, 
 d. a tolerance compensation disc arranged on a shaft of the screw, having a second outer diameter that is smaller than the first inner diameter of the outer sleeve so that the tolerance compensation disc is arranged with a radial play in the outer sleeve, 
 e. a holding disc, an inner diameter of which is smaller than the second outer diameter of the tolerance compensation disc, but larger than an outer diameter of a head of the screw, and a radial outer portion of which engages a holding feature at a radial inside of the outer sleeve adjacent to the first axial end, so that the tolerance compensation disc is arranged with a radial play and is held in an axial direction due to the holding disc, wherein 
 f. a screwing in of the screw causes a compression of the outer sleeve and thus a formation of the compression bead and takes place until the spacer sleeve prevents a further screwing so that the first component is arranged between the compression bead and the fastening flange, whereas the second component abuts the second axial end of the outer sleeve as well as the spacer sleeve. 
 
     
     
       2. The connection element according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer sleeve comprises a plurality of locking notches at a radial outside, so that the outer sleeve is fixable in a first opening in the first component such, that the first component is arrangeable between the fastening flange and the plurality of locking notches. 
     
     
       3. The connection element according to  claim 1 , the screw of which comprises a securing bush on the shaft, axially spaced with respect to the head of the screw, so that the tolerance compensation disc is held between the head and the securing bush. 
     
     
       4. The connection element according to  claim 3 , wherein a distance between the head and the securing bush corresponds to a maximum protrusion of the screw beyond the second axial end of the outer sleeve, so that when the screw is flush with the second axial end of the outer sleeve, the securing bush abuts the tolerance compensation disc. 
     
     
       5. The connection element according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer sleeve and the holding disc consists of a plastic material. 
     
     
       6. The connection element according to  claim 1 , wherein the spacer sleeve, the screw and the tolerance compensation disc consists of metal. 
     
     
       7. The first component with at least one opening and the connection element according to  claim 1  arranged therein. 
     
     
       8. The first component according to  claim 7  which includes a plurality of openings with outer sleeves or connection elements arranged therein. 
     
     
       9. The screw connection of the first component with the second component by means of the connection element according to  claim 1 , wherein the second component comprises a fastening portion with inner thread into which the screw is screwed in. 
     
     
       10. The screw connection according to  claim 9 , wherein the first component includes a plurality of openings with connection elements arranged therein, and the second component includes a corresponding number of fastening portions.